The message that “breast is best” is overdone and many scientists are now questioning the strength of evidence that exclusive breast-feeding for six months reduces a baby’s risk of developing allergies, asthma, eczema, ear infections, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, sudden infant death and diminished intelligence, as well as protecting mothers from breast cancer.

There is very little evidence supporting such claims, and not a single randomized, controlled trials — the gold standard of scientific research — have proved that breast-fed babies fare better, at least in industrialized countries.

Babies who are exclusively breast-fed for six months typically come from families that differ in a variety of ways from those weaned early or fed formula from the outset. They are already more educated and wealthier, so the kids are born with an advantage.

As for the antibodies that protect babies early in life, most are acquired not through breast-feeding but via the placenta during pregnancy.